Grapevine named ‘CABERNET VOLOS’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of grapevine named ‘CABERNET VOLOS’, primarily suited to the growing conditions of the temperate regions, and characterized by its medium vigor; semi-erect growth habit; medium, pentagonal to circular shaped leaves; short-medium, dense, cylindrical berry clusters; dark blue berries with soft to slightly firm berry flesh, herbaceous taste, and no flesh coloration; and resistance to winter temperatures (to −24° C.), resistance to downy mildew, and tolerance to powdery mildew.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Vitis×vinifera (hybrid).

Variety name: ‘CABERNET VOLOS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct summer/fall bearing grapevine variety, botanically known as Vitis×vinifera, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘CABERNET VOLOS’.

The new grapevine ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors in Udine, Italy. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new grapevine variety particularly characterized by resistance to cold (<−20° C.), resistance to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola), and tolerance to powdery mildew (Uncinula necator).

The new grapevine ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ originated from a cross made by the inventors in 2002 in Udine, Italy. The female or seed parent is the grapevine variety, Vitis vinifera cv. ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ (unpatented), and the male or pollen parent is the grapevine variety, Vitis cv. ‘20/3’ (Bianca×SK77-4/5) (unpatented).

The new grapevine ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2002 in Udine, Italy. Asexual reproduction of the new grapevine variety by grafting was first performed in February 2004 in Rauscedo, Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Italy, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘CABERNET VOLOS’ is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the temperate regions with average yearly temperature about 13° C., minimum winter temperature about −20° C., annual rainfall around 700-1500 mm of rain (e.g. North-Eastern Italy, Friuli). This region provides the necessary year-round temperatures required for it to produce and maintain a strong vigorous plant with consistent fruit production from April through November on primocanes and in the ensuing year from April through November on the floricanes.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘CABERNET VOLOS’, which in combination distinguish this grapevine plant as a new and distinct variety.

-   -   1. Medium vigor;     -   2. Semi-erect growth habit;     -   3. Medium size, pentagonal to circular shaped leaves with medium         green upper surfaces and pale green lower surfaces and medium         texture;     -   4. Short-medium size, dense, cylindrical shaped berry clusters         with one middle-size wing; dark blue berries with soft to         slightly firm flesh, herbaceous taste, and no flesh coloration;         primarily used for wine; maturing in Mid-late September (Middle         Friuli, North-Eastern Italy);     -   5. Primocanes and floricanes with elliptic cross section,         brownish color, no lenticels, and short-middle internodes (13-14         cm with diameter: 9-10 mm);     -   6. Harvesting time of Mid-late September (Middle Friuli,         North-Eastern Italy); and     -   7. Resistance to winter temperature (−24° C.), resistance to         downy mildew, and tolerance to powdery mildew.

Plants of the new grapevine ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ differ from plants of the parents, Vitis vinifera ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ (unpatented) and Vitis cross ‘20/3’ (unpatented), in the following characteristics described in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with parent varities Female Parent New Cultivar ‘Cabernet Male Parent Charac- ‘CABERNET Sauvignon’ ‘20/3’ teristic VOLOS’ (unpatented) (unpatented) vigour: medium strong medium growth semi-erect horizontal semi-erect habit leaf medium size, medium size, Medium size, medium green color medium green color light green color (upper surface), pale (both upper and (upper surface), green color (lower lower surface), low green color (lower surface), pentagonal hair density in both surface), no hairs and circular shape, surfaces, circular in both surfaces, medium texture, no shape, medium wedge-shaped- hairs in both texture kidney-shaped, surfaces. medium texture cluster short-medium size Very low weight, low weight, cluster, cylindrical cylindrical shape conical, with with one middle-size with 1-2 wings, 1-2 wings, wing, dense, berry medium bunch medium dense, skin with dark-blu density, berry skin berry skin with color, soft to slightly with blue black green-yellow firm flesh, color, soft flesh, color, slightly herbaceous taste, no neutral taste, no to firm flesh, flesh coloration very weak flesh neutral taste, no coloration flesh coloration primo- ellictic cross section, circular cross oblate cross cane and brownish colour, section, brownish section, brownish flori- lenticels: absent, color, lenticels: color, lenticels: cane short-middle absent, medium absent, medium internodes (13-14 internodes, diameter internodes, cm), diameter: 8 9- small (about 8 mm) diameter small 10 mm (about 8 mm) har- Mid-late September late (1st week of Early (last decade vesting (Middle Friuli, October in Middle August, Middle time North-Eastern Italy) Friuli, North- Friuli, North- Eastern Italy) Eastern Italy) resis- resistant to winter Resistance to winter resistant to winter tances temperature (−24° C.), temperature not temperature not resistant to downy checked, susceptible checked, resistant mildew, tolerant to to downy mildew, to downy mildew, powdery mildew. susceptible to resistant to powdery mildew powdery mildew

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar to the new grapevine ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ is the female parent ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’, to which a comparison has been provided above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new grapevine ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘CABERNET VOLOS’.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show a typical fruit cluster of ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ taken on Sep. 10, 2012, in Udine, Italy

FIG. 2 shows a typical mature leaf (upper surface, left and lower surface, right) of ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ taken on Jun. 15, 2012, in Udine, Italy.

FIG. 3 shows a typical mature vine of ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ taken on Aug. 3, 2012.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up view of mature fruit of ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ taken on Sep. 10, 2012, in Udine, Italy.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ unless otherwise noted, is based on observations taken during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 growing seasons(s) in Udine, Italy and Fossalon di Grado (GO), Italy. from plants dug from a nursery located in Rauscedo (PN), Italy during the beginning of December 2007 and planted approximately 16 to 20 weeks later in Udine, Italy and Fossalon di Grado (GO), Italy The phenotypical descriptions and color designations stated for the new variety may vary, depending upon variations in environmental factors, including weather (temperature, humidity and light intensity), day length, soil type, location and cultural conditions. ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), (Edition V, 2007), except where general colors of ordinary significance are used.

‘CABERNET SAUVIGNON’ Characteristic ‘CABERNET VOLOS’ (unpatented) GENERAL Resistance to Resistant to downy mildew, Susceptible to both pest/disease tolerant to powdery mildew downy and to powdery mildew Resistance to Resistant to winter cold Resistant to winter cold natural elements down to −23° C. not evaluated VINE Vigor medium high Trunk diameter 6 cm (6 yrs-old plant) 6 cm (6 yrs-old plant) Bark color RHS 177B Brownish underbark color RHS 179B Light brown texture n.a. n.a. Canes length Internode length cm 13-14 Internode length cm 10 width 9-10 mm 8 mm Shoots shape Semi-erect, cross section: Horizontal, cross section: elliptic, surface: with circular, surface: smooth, stripes, nodes and inter- nodes and internodes nodes without hairs without hairs color Internodes with red (RHS internodes and nodes 185B) and green (RHS with green and red color 144B) pigmentation on on dorsal side and green dorsal side,and green pigmentation on ventral (RHS 144B) ventral side side Tendrils form Bifid bifid color RHS 145C and RHS 184D Green texture normal normal number 2 or <2 consecutive 2 or less consecutive Buds size average average shape round round color RHS 139C and RHS181A Light brown number 2/node 2/node time of early medium budbreak LEAVES Size medium medium Number of 5 5 leaflets Glossiness Medium-high medium Cross section V-shaped flat shape Color (immature) Upper surface RHS 143B and RHS185B copper-reddish Under surface RHS 143B and RHS185B copper-reddish Color (mature) Upper surface RHS 143B medium green Under surface RHS 143C medium green Petiole Length (cm) 6.2 6.0 Color (upper RHS 185D reddish surface) Color (under RHS185D reddish surface) Stipule n.a. n.a. orientation FLOWERS Flowering End of May 1st week June period (time of beginning of flowering) Sex hermaphrodite hermaphrodite Size Average average Diameter (cm) 0.3 (stamens) 0.3 (stamens) Stamen color RHS 4D Pistil color RHS 149A Fragrance average average Flower number n.a. n.a. (at 3^(rd) node from tip of lateral mean and range) Petals Length (cm) n.a. n.a. Width (cm) n.a. n.a. Overall shape calyptra calyptra Calyptra Color RHS 134A green Sepals Length (cm) n.a. n.a. Width (cm) n.a. n.a. Overall shape n.a. n.a. Color n.a. n.a. (immature) Upper surface Under surface Color (mature) n.a. n.a. Upper surface Under surface Pedicel Length (mm) 45 (cluster) 6 Color RHS 145C green FRUIT Primocane time September 10th September 27th of fruiting (1^(st) pick) Clusters cluster weight g 130 Small (g 139) cluster shape cylindrical cylindrical cluster length mm 100 medium (mm 195) avg. berries per 120 99 cluster avg. clusters per 2 2 shoot Berries Berry size g 1.44 Very low (g 1.4) Berry length (cm) 1.76 1.5 Berry width (cm) 1.56 1.5 Overall shape globose globose of berry Berry Texture soft to slightly firm soft Berry Skin RHS 137C green Color (immature) Berry Skin RHS 103B Blu black Color (mature, at 19° Bx) Berry Flesh Color RHS 148B Soluble solids (%) 24.8 22.1 Titratable 4.8 7.4 acidity (as g/L tartaric acid) Sugar/acid ratio 5.2 3.0 Firmness soft soft Seeds 2-3 2-3 Seed Color RHS 167B and RHS I63A Skin cracking? no no Juice color red No or very weak Berry taste Slightly herbaceous herbaceous Eating quality n.a. n.a. Berry uses wine wine Shipping quality n.a. n.a. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct grapevine, referred to as ‘CABERNET VOLOS’, as herein described and illustrated by the characteristics set forth above. 